Category: Enrichment

Orangutan Awareness Week!

November 4-10 Orangutan Awareness Week (OAW) was first established by OFI in 1996 to honor the establishment of Camp Leakey during the first week of November in 1971. What began as a memorial to honor Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas’ research and orangutan conservation in Tanjung Puting National Park has become a world-wide celebration to spread… Continue reading Orangutan Awareness Week!

Enrichment, Fun for All the Animals

At the Orangutan Foundation International’s (OFI) Care Center in Indonesian Borneo where approximately 300 wild born ex-captive orangutans reside, it is a familiar sight to see Ibu Mariyanti and her enrichment team, going to and from facility to facility. With bright blue bags brimming with various items slung over their shoulders, the team members bring… Continue reading Enrichment, Fun for All the Animals

Orangutan Care Series: The Infants

Since its establishment in 1971, Orangutan Foundation International (then termed Orangutan Research and Conservation Program) has cared for vulnerable orphaned orangutans who have been brutally separated from their mothers, along with older injured and displaced orangutans. Without a doubt, the most helpless orangutans at the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine (OCCQ) are the newly arrived… Continue reading Orangutan Care Series: The Infants

Popsicle Playtime at the OCCQ

Here at the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) Care Center and Quarantine in Kalimantan, Indonesia, enrichment forms an important part of the day to day activities for the orangutans. Providing daily food-based enrichment for the orangutans means that they are given the opportunity to problem solve, rip, tear, and explore the parcels and treats they receive.… Continue reading Popsicle Playtime at the OCCQ

Hockey’s Cart

Due to a stroke she suffered before she came to the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine, and possibly as a result of her initial capture when her mother was killed, Hockey is completely paralyzed on the right side of her body and is still plagued by regular seizures. But her disability doesn’t stop her from… Continue reading Hockey’s Cart

Ibu Maryanti: heart of OFI’s enrichment.

When you see Ibu Maryanti at work at OFI’s Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine in Pasir Panjang, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia, you can sense her love for the orangutans. Her concern for the well being of the orangutan orphans in her care is reflected in everything she does. As OFI’s enrichment coordinator, her task is far… Continue reading Ibu Maryanti: heart of OFI’s enrichment.

The Joy of Scent

Scent enrichment gives animals opportunities for play and exploration. An acute sense of smell is often associated in people’s minds with animals such as big cats but the sense of smell is important to other animals, primates included, as well. With humans, familiar smells can vividly evoke emotions or memories, while new scents expand our… Continue reading The Joy of Scent

OFI’s own Enrichment Coordinator presents in Oregon

OFI at the International Conference for Environmental Enrichment This August OFI was proud to participate in the 10th International Conference for Environmental Enrichment (ICEE) hosted by the Oregon Zoo and the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Portland, Oregon.  Organized by The Shape of Enrichment, ICEE is an annual conference where individuals and organizations from… Continue reading OFI’s own Enrichment Coordinator presents in Oregon

An Enrichment Update

At OFI’s Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ), enrichment is a crucial part of caring for the physical and mental health of the orangutans. Over the past few years, the number and complexity of the items offered to the orangutans has increased substantially due to the dedicated work of the Enrichment Coordinator and a number… Continue reading An Enrichment Update

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 5662 [post_author] => 10305 [post_date] => 2011-07-12 20:48:04 [post_date_gmt] => 2011-07-13 03:48:04 [post_content] => At OFI’s Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ), enrichment is a crucial part of caring for the physical and mental health of the orangutans. Over the past few years, the number and complexity of the items offered to the orangutans has increased substantially due to the dedicated work of the Enrichment Coordinator and a number of long-term volunteers. Enrichment is especially important for those orangutan individuals that cannot be released regularly into the forest for health or logistical reasons. In addition to the “Enrichment Team,” the OCCQ staff is very supportive of the routine offering of environmental enrichment. Usually, it just takes the starting of a project to suddenly have many “cooks in the kitchen” who want to assist and see the task completed! Examples of our current installations include log and tire swings and tire hammocks for the orangutans’ sleeping enclosures. Tires are bought second-hand from Pangkalan Bun while fallen logs can be found in abundance in the forest. Orangutans greatly enjoy testing out the new items in their enclosures and usually make their nests in the new and comfortable fixtures. [caption id="attachment_5672" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Sandra enjoying her Kong © toy and a handful of popcorn Sandra enjoying her Kong © toy and a handful of popcorn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_5663" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Staff and volunteer cutting tires for hammocks and other projects Staff and volunteer cutting tires for hammocks and other projects[/caption] With the invaluable help of two former long-term Australian volunteers briefly visiting the Center, the team has completed the most complex structure to date for the nursery consisting of two tire hammocks and a center barrel. This environmental enrichment was recently hung in “Hocky’s enclosure,” initially built through donations raised by a former enrichment volunteer. Funds and expertise combined to greatly enhance the inside of this enclosure. Similarly, the science and art of creating enrichment benefits from the insight and creativity of many people. [caption id="attachment_5664" align="aligncenter" width="350"]New hammock built for Hocky and other young orangutans in the nursery New hammock built for Hocky and other young orangutans in the nursery[/caption] Daily, we also provide fern and branch bundles filled with bean sprouts and other healthy vegetables. With this exercise, too, we usually have a number of people wanting to help “cari daun” (look for leaves) and make parcels. Along with coffee and a fun playlist, it is an enjoyable way to spend the morning making up to 100 bundles to pass out to the eagerly awaiting ape residents of the center! While the team attempts as much as possible to provide readily available materials to the orangutans, such as branches and leaves from the forest, oats, roasted peanuts, jam, and pasta from nearby grocers, and fruits and vegetables from the local market, we often require supplies that are expensive or difficult to acquire in the area. Chain, bolts, barrels, and tires are long-lasting equipment that help to furnish sleeping enclosures and can be bought locally. Other items, such as durable rope and PVC, rubber dog toys, and fleece material must be purchased elsewhere and are sometimes donated. [caption id="attachment_5665" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Market vendor selling vegetables in Pangkalan Bun Market vendor selling vegetables in Pangkalan Bun[/caption] In addition to being more sustainable and practical to use local produce, it is also healthier to feed local produce to the orangutans! We have become more creative in using vegetables, fruit, and spices to make ice treats, juices, parcels, and other items. The orangutans especially like mashed potatoes and yams, mangoes, avocados, carrots, tomatoes, and ginger root. Just like children, they are not always eager to drink the juices made from greens! [caption id="attachment_5668" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Tomato juice used for ice treats Tomato juice used for ice treats[/caption] [caption id="attachment_5669" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Mashed potatoes used for stuffing cut PVC (heavy duty piping) Mashed potatoes used for stuffing cut PVC (heavy duty piping)[/caption] Recently, the Kong© company, which manufactures durable and challenging toys for dogs and other domestic pets, donated a stock of toys for the orangutans to use. These have been used for the past few weeks with great success, though it often takes some bribing with peanuts or milk to retrieve the finished Kong from an individual! Many enjoy carrying the novel item around their enclosure and using sticks to probe the inside for raisins, peanut butter, and other treats. With over 330 orangutans in the care of the Center, the enrichment team can always use more of these and other such items! [caption id="attachment_5670" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Assorted items donated to OCCQ Assorted items donated to OCCQ[/caption] If you would like to assist the Enrichment Team at OCCQ with providing quality care to orangutans in its rehabilitation program, please consider visiting our Amazon Wish-list accessible here. Currently, supplies that are most needed are Kongs©, rope, U-bolts, and tools. Items can be purchased on-line and easily shipped to the Los Angeles office where they will then make their way to Pasir Panjang and into the arms of some very deserving orangutans. 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